Amazon advantage is a program that allows publishers to distribute physical media such as books, DVDs, and CDs. Amazon Advantage is a program that allows booksellers to sell paperback and hardcover books directly through Amazon.

How To Sell Used Books On Amazon? When it comes to used bookselling continue reading to learn more about Penn Book best methods for selling used books on Amazon.

What You Need to Sell Your Used Books on Amazon

The first step is to open an individual or business Amazon Seller account. Take all necessary precautions to keep your Amazon account secure because you are starting a business.

If you’re already a customer, you can use that information to begin the process. If not, state your company’s email address or another email address. Later changes are simple to make, including completely altering your Amazon account’s email address.

Additionally, you want to keep in mind a few essential practices for reselling old books. Check your stock’s position on Amazon first. For instance, a bestseller will sell more copies than a book that is less well-liked.

Additionally, be truthful about the state of the books you list on Amazon and set their prices appropriately. As long as the book is still legible and the reader is aware of what they are paying for, avid readers won’t mind.

Plan Your Budget

How serious you are about reselling books determines how much money your Amazon business will make. In addition to additional costs, there are two major plans: one for casual merchants and one for serious sellers.

The Cost of Amazon Seller Plans

You can register as an Individual if all you want to do is get rid of a few books at once and don’t care about reports, advertising, or other advanced features. The price is $0.99 for each item sold.

The Professional plan has many useful features, including top product page positions, API connectivity, and support for multiple users, and is available for a monthly charge of $39.99.

Extra Charges for Amazon Sellers

Additional selling fees for both plans vary based on your choices and items. For instance, Amazon charges a $1.80 closure fee in addition to a 15% referral fee for media items like books and music.

It can cost you between $2.35 and $3.59 for each small item sold if you want Amazon to handle everything, including customer service, storing and delivering your product, and handling returns.

If you provide this service while also selling books, you can encounter additional charges, such as $5 for each book rental. If you receive a refund, Amazon will give you your referral fee back, less an administration fee of $5 or 20% of the referral fee, whichever is less.

7 Steps to Selling Book on Amazon

Step 1: Decide what type of books you want to sell

Although there are numerous ways to find books to sell, the most straightforward way to get started is to sell books you already own.

You can also expand your inventory by using the following methods:

Wholesale: Purchase in bulk to save money online or at bookstore closings. New books can also be purchased in bulk from distributors or publishers. You may not have complete control over what you receive, but you will be able to obtain more books at wholesale prices.

Local sources: Look for used books at library book sales, used book stores, yard sales, and thrift stores in your area. Estate sales are another place to look for collectible books.

Auctions: Look for used or collectible book auctions, estate sales, or farm sales.

When purchasing your books, it is critical to evaluate their condition. When listing your books, make sure to follow Amazon’s detailed condition guidelines. Check out the category-specific guidelines for new and used books, as well as collectible books.

Step 2: Create your Amazon seller account

Choose whether you want to sell as an individual or as a professional. The main distinctions are in terms of benefits and fees.

Individual selling is a pay-as-you-go plan that includes basic listing and order management tools. You can create listings one at a time by matching products to existing pages in the Amazon catalog or by creating new pages. Because you don’t pay Amazon fees unless an item sells, it’s a good place to start for entrepreneurs new to online selling.

For a monthly subscription fee, the Professional selling plan grants you access to advanced selling tools. Unlike the individual selling plan, you pay a monthly fee whether you list or sell anything (rather than a per-item fee, though both plans pay referral fees on items sold).

The Professional selling plan includes inventory tools for uploading batch files and managing orders via feeds and reports. These tools are especially useful for medium- to large-sized businesses.

Compare selling plans to see which one is right for you.

Once you’ve decided on a strategy, use this handy cost calculator to estimate your per-unit sales margin. Set up your Amazon seller account once you’re ready. This will enable you to begin selling on Amazon. It will also grant you access to the Seller Central dashboard, from which you will be able to list products, manage your inventory, and fulfill orders.

Step 3: Decide how you will fulfill orders

Do you want to handle your own inventory, packing, and shipping? Or would you rather have Amazon handle everything for you? As an Amazon ecommerce seller, you have two options for order fulfillment:

Merchant Fulfilled Network (MFN) – You store inventory, pack books, and ship them on your own.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) entails shipping books to an Amazon Fulfillment Center, and they handle the rest. Storage, packing, shipping, customer service, and returns are all included in FBA.

Using FBA to ship your products is also the most convenient way to obtain the Prime badge for the majority of offers. Many Amazon customers seek out products with the Prime badge because it denotes fast, free shipping.

Step 4: Set your book pricing

The cost of a book is determined by a number of factors, including the type of book and its condition. Keep an eye on what other booksellers are charging and adjust your prices accordingly. You can always go back in and change the price. Here are some of the most important factors that can affect book prices:

What condition is the book in?

Is the book new or used?

Is the book a collectible (for example, a first edition)?

Remember to include packing and shipping costs in your pricing.

Step 5: List your books on Amazon

To list books for sale, go directly to the product page and look up the titles of the books you want to list. Take the following steps:

Enter the ISBN number of the book into Amazon’s search bar. Enter the title manually if the book was printed before 1970.

Click the “Sell on Amazon” button once you’ve arrived at the product listing page.

Enter the SKU here. This can be a custom SKU, or if left blank, Amazon will generate one for you.

Choose your price. Simply click that button to match the lowest price.

Enter the total amount. One unit is the default.

Select the condition. It is critical to be completely honest about the quality of each book.

Choose your fulfillment channel (MFN or FBA).

Step 6: Promote and market your books

Make use of Amazon’s tools.

If you sell books, Amazon’s Seller University offers free training videos to teach you the fundamentals of sales, selling tools, advertising, and promotions. Amazon Advertising can help you grow your business, drive sales, and measure the effectiveness of your ads. To learn more, visit the Advertising Learning Console.

If you’re an author, use Kindle Direct Publishing to promote your own published books on Amazon (KDP).

Use social media to promote your online book business.

Social media can be a powerful tool for increasing your company’s visibility and strategically targeting customers who want to buy the types of books you’re selling. Find out where your target audience hangs out and spread the word on the social media platforms they use.

Pay attention to feedback.

You might not take book reviews personally if you’re selling books you didn’t write. However, you should keep an eye on your Amazon product and customer service reviews.

When it comes to building trust in your online brand, positive reviews can go a long way. Here are some pointers to help you get positive feedback:

Be truthful about the item’s condition.

Deliver orders on time

Respond to customer inquiries as soon as possible.

If problems arise, address them as soon as possible.

Good reviews also increase your product’s chances of being listed as the featured offer (the first option on Amazon’s shopping website’s yellow “Buy” button).

Step 7: Pack and ship your books

Preparation is essential for safely delivering your books to their destination. Remember that satisfied customers are repeat customers!

The fulfillment method you select will determine how you handle shipping.

Using the FBA method to fulfill orders

Use your Amazon Seller Central account to create your shipment. See the detailed procedure for sending or replenishing inventory to Amazon.

Pack your books and send them to an Amazon Fulfillment Center. For more information, see Amazon small parcel delivery, packaging and preparation requirements, and product size tiers.

Label all of your packages. Check the shipment label requirements.

See the requirements for FBA products sold as new if the books are brand new.

Take a look at how Amazon receives and stores your inventory.

Understanding Sales Rankings

Knowing Amazon’s Best Sellers in Books and the ranking system will help determine if a book is worth buying and how long it takes to sell.

The number of items in each category determines the ranking. Although the list only shows the top 100 bestsellers, all books rank somewhere. You can find their ranking under Product Details and Best Sellers Rank.

There will be stiff competition for the most popular books, with many new or used copies of these available to purchase. These books tend to be very expensive, so you will need to offer a unique selling proposition to sell them and make a profit.

The opposite end of the spectrum is where less popular books can take years to sell. It cannot be easy to price popular books.

The goal is to find a compromise: A good selling rate, good condition, and a good price range comparable to similar listings. Amazon’s prices for similar titles and the same item will give you an indication of how much people are spending.

What Books Sell Well on Amazon?

Amazon is the dominant eCommerce platform. The platform allows you to buy just about anything.

Amazon began selling used books, and you can, too.

Amazon has been controlling around 50%+ US book sales for years. Amazon has millions of titles to choose from, so you may be wondering, How will my book sell with all those competitors?

These are just a few of the tips and tricks that will help you stand out from the rest.

First, consider which books are most popular on Amazon.

Digital vs. print: While e-books are growing rapidly, Amazon’s print sales remain strong. You can also make more profit with rare and unusual books.
New vs. old: The smell of freshly printed manuscripts is the best. A well loved book in search of a new home is perhaps the best thing. If you aren’t prepared to work with wholesalers and suppliers, new books can be difficult. Selling used books can reduce that need and make it a lot easier.
Fiction vs. Nonfiction: While nonfiction books are more popular, they sell in larger volumes than fiction.

Okay, so there’s no one way to be successful. But this is the good news: You can choose your preferred route and maneuver around it.

Check out their BSR – Best Seller Rating to determine what books are selling, their competition, and how highly they are coveted.

How to List and Price Your Used Books?

There are a few options available when you want to list your books on Amazon FBA.

You can use the Amazon Seller app for photos and uploads to your books.
In Amazon’s search bar, enter the ISBN and click the “I have one for sale” option. This will load all information for that book.
Amazon has very clear guidelines for how to list and grade used books. This includes the description of the condition of your books.

Amazon’s used-book condition categories are:

New
Used – Like New
Used – Very Good
Used – Good
Used – Acceptable

You can add additional information to used books by adding a specific conditions note. This book has highlighted on the front page or a handwritten note.

These details are crucial for customer satisfaction and feedback. Make sure to prepare your books before you sell and make sure you check for them.

Pricing should also be smart. This is the first thing that can turn customers towards you or away.

Things to Consider When Pricing Your Used Books for Amazon:

The condition: Books with less wear and tear will be worth more and vice versa.
Amazon’s pricing: Compare Amazon’s prices with your competitors. Also, could you take a look at their customer ratings? Customers trust ratings. If you have lower ratings, you will need to earn their trust and interest in another way. Your pricing should be appropriate for your presence on this platform.
Your goal: Would it be better to sell the book to a low bidder or wait longer for a higher potential payout?
Multiples: Do you own multiple copies of the same title or more?
Amazon fees: Amazon charges various fees, including listing fees, FBA fees, variable closing fees, referral fees, and per-item fees. After the sale closes, all applicable fees will be collected. This will affect your margin. To make any profit, you must keep track of all these. Amazon statements are not easy to understand, so A2X for Amazon is a great solution (we’ll discuss that later).
The Buy Box: The winner receives the Add to Cart spot, which most Amazon shoppers choose when shopping online. The Buy Box is responsible for 82% of all sales. It’s well worth the effort. Jungle Scout has a guide for winning it.

You’ll soon be selling if you do your research and position yourself among your competitors.

Fulfillment by Amazon for used books

The next step after pricing and listing? Well, sales are the next step.

This can be done by you or Amazon’s FBA (Fulfillment by Amazon).

Partnering with FBA means that you can pack your books and send them to Amazon’s fulfillment centers in the US. They will be stored, picked up, packed, and shipped to your customers when a sale is made.

This service is charged but automates your distribution and takes the burden off of your shoulders. Customers can benefit from Amazon’s quick shipping times. However, books are expensive and may be difficult to ship individually.

Getting your books to an Amazon FBA warehouse

Amazon will send you a list of fulfillment centers when you sign up for FBA. Follow the shipping instructions and choose the closest one.

Amazon will provide shipping labels to you for your packages. It is your responsibility to ship the books to Amazon and package them according to Amazon’s instructions. After Amazon has received them, all the rest will be handled for you.

Amazon FBA allows customers to benefit from fast Amazon shipping without putting too much strain on their business. With Amazon FBA, you can concentrate on other aspects knowing that experts are handling your distribution.

Save Time and Money with A2X for Amazon

Remember how we said that Amazon fees could be complex and diverse? This is an understatement. Sellers need to be aware of the differences.

A2X for Amazon connects with your seller account or accounting software to capture all details, so you don’t lose track of how much money your business spends.

Amazon statements and bank deposits don’t include all fees. They do not calculate your sales tax, reimbursements received, or FBA charges. A2X does.

A2X organizes your books using the accrual accounting method. It splits statements by month and separates income and expense lines associated with each bank deposit into journal summaries. This makes reconciliations quick and easy.

This will give you a better view of your cash flow and forecasts, as well as a quick reference on the health of your company from anywhere.

Why Selling Used Books on Amazon Is Profitable and Simple?

In the beginning, I didn’t have much capital. I felt hesitant to risk the few hundred dollars I did have, so I turned to my old comic book collection. It was dusty and a bit worn. It was an easy way to start selling used books on Amazon.

I wanted to resell my comics and learn how to sell on Amazon. It was so much fun to be my boss without putting my savings at risk.

Let’s not get bogged down. These are just a few reasons to get books sold on Amazon.

Easier Than You Might Think

Before I started Amazon, I didn’t know much about the business. Now that I know better, I am certain that more than half of the driving force behind the sales on Amazon is made by third party sellers.

CNBC or the Consumer News Channel published an article by Jeff Bezos last year, in which he stated that third-party sellers were responsible for more than half of Amazon’s sales. In addition, he stated that Amazon had accumulated one hundred thousand dollars in sales through the involvement of more than one hundred forty thousand businesses.

Many third-party sellers are selling used books on Amazon. Amazon book sales had reached fifty-three million books and three hundred eighty thousand at the beginning of the year.

What does this mean for you, the future bookseller? This only means that many people will find the next book they want on Amazon. Reselling books on Amazon is a huge thing, considering that the average American can read twelve books per year and ninety million Amazon Prime subscribers.

These are the options available to you as a third-party vendor:

Fulfilled by Merchant (FBM): In FBM, the seller creates the Amazon listing and then packs & ships the item. This is for those who have a great network.
Amazon Vendors (AMZ). In AMZ, you will have to sell inventory directly to Amazon through central vendor services. This is for enterprise sellers who need to unload a lot of inventory quickly.
Fulfilled by Amazon (FBA) – In FBA, you will need to create the listing on Amazon. However, Amazon will store, pack and ship the products at a charge. FBA sellers get fast and free shipping. This option is very popular with new sellers.

I began my career as an FBM seller. However, today many people are FBA sellers. You have to decide which option is best for you.

It is much easier to list books on Amazon than listing other products. A Master Listing is required before you can list a book. The Master Listing organizes the titles according to price and condition. This is a far better way to list your titles than a full listing.

If the seller has the lowest price listing, but the rating is not very low, they can get the desired Buy Box. This is the orange-colored button that allows shoppers to click on to purchase a product.

Amazon’s Best Seller Ranking (BSR)

Amazon will assign a BSR to a product if it sells. A product’s potential sales will increase if its BSR is lower.

If a book has a BSR value of 1, the product is likely the most sold. One book that ranks number one can sell many copies in a single day. Contrarily, if the book’s BSR is two million, it may take sixty days to sell one copy. The product’s BSR is lower, the more it can sell.

FBA Makes Selling Easier

My sales are now about ten per day after months of hard work. Although I was making decent money, I could have done better had I used a profit tracking tool. The problem was that shipping and packaging the books took up a lot of my time. FBA was my solution.

FBA is an Amazon program that offers sellers the following:

Amazon’s fulfillment centers allow sellers to store and ship their products for a fee.
Once a sale has been made, the seller must select, pack, and ship the product to the customer.
Customer service issues, such as complaints and returns, are handled by the seller.
Customers can access Amazon Prime’s shipping program faster by registering for Amazon Prime.

Instead of spending 3-4 hours packing books and waiting for the post office to take 30 minutes, I now pack the books and send them to Amazon. My books are sent out PRIME, which means that conversions can be quite high.

FAQs

Is it worth it to sell used books on Amazon?

FBA is a good option for used books, contrary to what some may say. As you can see, FBA is not a good option for most books.

Is selling books on Amazon profitable?

Books can be a great way to increase your inventory and get high-return items for Amazon sellers. For a small amount of money, you can purchase a lot of books.

What is the easiest way to sell used books?

There are a few different ways that you can sell used books. One way is to find a local used bookstore and take your books in to see if they are interested in purchasing them from you. Another way is to sell your books online through a site like Amazon or eBay.

Finally, you could also have a garage sale and include your books as part of the items that you are selling. Whichever method you choose, be sure to research how to price your books so that you get the most money possible for them.

How to sell used books on amazon for free?

There are a few different ways that you can sell used books on Amazon for free. The first way is to list your books on Amazon’s Marketplace. This is a free service that allows you to list your books for sale on Amazon. You will be charged a small fee for each book that you sell, but this is the only fee you will pay.

The second way to sell used books on Amazon is to use their Fulfillment by Amazon program. This program allows you to ship your books to Amazon, and they will handle all of the packaging and shipping for you. There is a small fee for this service, but it is worth it if you have a lot of books to sell.

How much does it cost to sell used books on Amazon?

You will pay Amazon for books. It all depends on the type of account you choose (professional or individual), how much you price your products, and whether you use FBA or FBM as your fulfillment method.

These will be discussed in detail below. However, it is important to estimate these before you purchase inventory or start any business. This will ensure that your business is profitable long term.

Conclusion

If you’re looking to declutter your home and earn a little extra cash, selling used books on Amazon is a great option! With just a few simple steps, you can list your books and start earning money.

So what are you waiting for? Start decluttering your home and earning extra cash by selling your used books on Amazon today!

Read more:

How To Sell Used Books On Amazon? Best Full Guide 2024